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Federal prosecutors said they are intent on maintaining the convictions of Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. a day after three of the disgraced former judge’s convictions were overturned.
Three of the convictions against Ciavarella in the Kids for Cash scandal were overturned Monday by Christopher C. Conner, chief judge of the United States District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania.
A statement issued by United States Attorney David J. Freed said federal prosecutors are reviewing their options.
“We have received and are currently reviewing Chief Judge Conner’s opinion in United States v. Mark A. Ciavarella, Jr,” the state read. “We will consider all options, as this office remains committed to preserving Ciavarella’s convictions. The scheme that Ciavarella masterminded to incarcerate juveniles for minor offenses simply to line his pockets and those of his co-defendants in this case is no less shocking today than it was when charged nearly 10 years ago.”
Ciavarella, 67, was convicted in a $2.8 million kickback scheme involving the construction of a for-profit juvenile detention center. Michael Conahan, a retired Luzerne County judge, pleaded guilty in the scheme.
Ciavarella is currently six years into a 28-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution-Ashland in Kentucky.
In his order, Conner said that Ciavarella should be retried on the three counts that had been vacated, adding that a trial date would be set by an order that would come at a later date.
